Durable alloy wheelset ready for road, cyclocross or gravel (ab)use

Exploring new heights was elemental to this test session. That’s Mt. Crested Butte in the center of the background.

Lowdown: American Classic Argent Disc Tubeless Wheels

The goal for this test: See if we could break these wheels — or at least wreck a little havoc on the tires. The testing ground: All manner of bad dirt roads (4×4, jeep, rocky, double and singletrack, you name it) that crisscross the hills and mountains that surround our Colorado test HQ in Crested Butte. End result? Read on to find out.

Stat Box

Depth: 30mm

Spoke count: 24 front and rear

Outer rim width: 22mm

Spoke lacing: 2-cross

Inner rim width: 19.4mm

Claimed weight: 1531g

Front hub: American Classic Disc 130

Actual front wheel weight: 750g

Rear hub: American Classic Disc 225

Actual rear wheel weight: 840g

Hub engagement: Six pawl cam actuated system

Total actual weight: 1590g

Front axle: QR or 9mm, 12mm or 15mm thru-axle

Extras: Tubeless tape and tubeless valves included

Rear axle: QR, 10x135mm or 12x142mm thru-axle

Tested tires: Clement X’Plor MSO 700c x 36

Driver: Shimano 10/11, Campy 10/11, SRAM XD

Wheelset price: $1149

Brake interface: Center Lock, 6-bolt kit included

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Spokes: American Classic bladed black

Pluses

Minuses

Tubes not needed

Road tubeless tires required for tubeless set-up

Tubeless tape pre-installed

Some initial overnight air leakage

Tubeless valves included

Adapter needed for 6-bolt rotors

Wide inner rim width

Simple (bordering on boring) aesthetics

Can run lower pressure

Over $1000 for alloy rims

Lower rolling resistance

No burping during testing

No flats during testing

Easy tubeless set-up

Relatively light wheelset

Stiff and durable wheelset

Aero-enhancing profile

Steel faced cassette body prolongs hub life

Changing cassettes easier

Quick engaging hubs

Purring free hub

17mm axle maintains hub bearing alignment

Review: American Classic Argent Disc Tubeless Wheels

Like any tubeless wheelset test, the initial challenge starts in the workshop where you find out how big a pain in the ass it is to set them up sans tubes. The answer for American Classic’s flagship Argent Disc Tubeless road wheels was very little pain.

The American Classic Argent Disc wheels can do triple duty as a road, CX or gravel road conduit.

In took a little tugging to get our test set of Clement X’Plor MSO 700×36 tubeless ready tires onto the rims, but once mounted the beads quickly snapped into place with just a floor pump. From there the included tubeless valves with removable valve cores made it easy to squirt in the requisite amount of Stan’s NoTubes sealant. The rims even come pre-taped.

Initially we had some overnight air leakage in the front (but not the rear). However, after a month or so of testing, we pulled both tires and topped off sealant. Leakage has subsequently ceased.

These wide rims plumped up the Clement X’Plor MSO 36mm tires to 37.5mm. MSO is the airport code for Missoula, Montana, which appropriately is home to the Adventure Cycling Association.

The tires, though listed at 36mm, plumped up to 37.5mm wide when inflated to 50psi. That’s a testament to the Argent’s generous 19.4mm inner rim width. The net effect was a generally cushy, smooth rolling ride with plenty of confidence-enhancing traction in loose terrain, which is where the MSO’s (Missoula, Montana’s airport code) are most at home. Indeed, the tire’s label says they are designed for adventure, with soft rubber for extra grip, plus a puncture protection belt under the tread. We definitely did some adventuring — and suffered no flats.

On the Road Less Traveled

There’s a reason the Crested Butte area is known for its mountain biking rather than road riding. While there are some 750 miles of sweet serpentine singletrack in greater Gunnison County, you can count the number of quality paved road rides on one hand. That doesn’t mean drop bar bikes have no place here. You just need a set-up that doesn’t mind getting a little dirty.

The slightly rounded 30mm deep rims have subtle aero shaping.

That’s just what we had for this test: Van Dessel Full Tilt Boogie ’cross frame, SRAM Force 1x drivetrain with hydraulic disc brakes, and the American Classic Argent’s wrapped in Clement tubeless-ready rubber. It was an ideal package for exploring the area’s well- and rarely-traveled dirt roads.

Continue to page 2 for more on the American Classic Argent Disc Tubeless wheels

An avid cyclist, Jason Sumner has been writing about two-wheeled pursuits of all kinds since 1999. He’s covered the Tour de France, the Olympic Games, and dozens of other international cycling events. He also likes to throw himself into the fray, penning first-person accounts of cycling adventures all over the globe. Sumner, who joined the RoadBikeReview.com / Mtbr.com staff in 2013, has also done extensive gear testing and is the author of the cycling guide book "75 Classic Rides: Colorado." When not writing or riding, the native Coloradoan can be found enjoying time with his wife Lisa and daughter Cora.

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